Agitator mechanism for washing machines



May 12, 1931. J, ROCKE 1,805,107

AGITATOR MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Dec. l5, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 12, 1931. J. RocKE AGITATOR MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Dec. l5, 1927 Z'SheetS-Sheet 2 Patented May 12, 1931 UNITED STATES JOHN ROOKIE, F BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS AGITATOR MECHANISM FOB. WASHING MACHINES Application filed December 15, 1927. Serial No. 240,086.

This invention relates to washing machines.

The invention has special reference to washing machine agitators and gearing therefor.

num, and similarly,

rIhe invention embraces gear mechanism including a driven rack member, a reciprocally actuated shaft having gearing thereon and a head member to support and drive an agitator.

The invention includes an expanded disklike fashioned agitator member adapted to be positioned in close proximity to the bottom of the tub, a sleeve member attached at the hub of the agitator member and extending upwardly to a point above the normal water line of the tub and the head member at the upper extremity ofthe sleeve and attached thereto, provided with an attachment seat for receiving the driving head attached to a reciprocating shaft.

In carrying out the invention, it is proposed that the expanded disk-like portion of the agitator shall be of cast metal as alumithat the sleeve portion shall be of metal, either sheet or cast, and that the head member similarly may be of metal of suitable character.

The invention also includes the provision of agitator blades formed preferably from an organic condensation product, and means for attaching the agitator blades to the agitator.

Referring to the drawings,-

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of an agitator structure, and also showing gear mechanism for actuating the same;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on thel line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a plan view, partly in section, showing my invention.

In the drawings, 10 is the bottom of a tub; 11 is a shaft extending upwardly through the botom of the tub; 12 is a gear member at the lower extremity of the shaft; 13 is an on the Y angularly fashioned head member attached to shaft 11, and 14 is a rack bar adapted for reciproeation to actuate shaft 11 through its driving connection with gearwheel 12.

Referring to the agitator, 15 refers generally to the agitator structure, which includes an expanded, disk-like member comprising a central hub portion 16 and a laterally expanded disk-like portion`17, provided with a downturned flange portion 18 at its peripheral edge.

19 are seats formed in the upper face of expanded portion 17 adapted to receive and seat the lower extremities of agitator blade members, and 20 is a screw head seat and perforation through the body of expanded portion 17 adapted for the entry of a screw therethrough, and seating the head thereof 1n conjunction with the under face of expanded disk-like portion 17.

21 is a tubular member merging into hub portion 16 of cast member 15, and is rigidly attached thereto and 22 is a block member fixed to the upper end of the tubular member 21 by means of pins 23 and provided with an interior or central opening, as 24, best shown in Fig. 2, the same being of a general rectangular shape, the side walls of which are recessed as at 25 for clearance purposes.

26 refers generally to detachable agitator blades preferablyY formed from organic condensation product, the same being preferably fashioned from relatively spaced upstanding walls 27 integrally united at their upper end portions as at 28, thereby providing an open space between said walls. The lower extremities 29 of said vertical wall members are preferably out-turned and angularly fashioned for close seating in seats 19 in the upper face of the expanded portion 17. 30 is an attached lug, integrally fashioned in connection with the agitator blade and provided with an interior circular opening. 31 is an interiorly threaded member, secured within the opening in lug 30, and 32 is a headed and threaded bolt adapted to be inserted through perforations in the expanded portion 17 and to be screwed into the threaded member 31 to securely attach the agitator blade to the expanded disk por-v tion 17.

I have shown herein only one detachable agitator blade member; however, in practice, any number desired of such blades may be provided and attached to expanded disk por` tion 1'? in proper radial and relatively spaced arrangement.

The i ig arrangement for the a itator is of suc 1 general and common apphcation to washing mafhines that its general purposes will not be described.

Likewise, the general form of the agitator is of such common acceptance in the art that such general structure will not be here defined.

It is desirable, to the end of protectingV clothing being washed, that agitators of the type herein or parts thereof that come in contact with the clothing, shall be constructed of as permanently smooth Contact surface as possible, and to this end special attention is called to re-issued Letters Patent No. 16748, to John Rocke, applicant herein, September Q0, 1927, wherein there is disclosed an agitator formed wholly from an organic condensation product.

The success of an agitator formed wholly from an organic condensation product has been fully demonstrated with the marketing of thousands of machines employing such agitators. However, practice and experimentation has demonstrated that agitator blades alone formed from organic condensation product serve for full eiiciency in the operation of an agitator, as it is only the blades that come in violent contact with the clothing, and inasmuch as a great saving results in the employing of metal only for the main agitator structure, and organic condensation product only for the agitatorl blades, resort has been had to the latter construction for commercial purposes. Also, an agitator of this latter construction has proven practically immune from breakage and warping, whereas, in the use of an agitator formed wholly from organic condensation product, more or less warping and breakage has occurred.

I have herein shown my preferred form of agitator and agitator blades and means of attaching the blades to the main agitator frame; however, blades of different fashioning may obviously be employed, and similarly, attachment means may be varied, and this without departing from the spirit of the present invention, hence I claim all forms of blades and means of attachment that may come legitimately within the spirit of -my invention.

I claim:

1. An agitator for washing machines comprising a metal disk, a hollow blade-of plastic material, the edges of said hollow blade contacting with said disk throughout their length, and means for detachably clamping said blade to said disk so as tight joint.

2. An agitator for washing machines comprising a metal disk, hollow agitator blades to form a. waterformed of a phenolic condensation product, the ed es of said blades contacting with said disk t rou hout their lengths, and means for detachaly clamping said blades to said disk so that said blades are pressed tightly against said disk to form a water-tight Joint.

3. An agitator for washing machines comprising a metal shaft portion and a metal disk portion and blades detachably secured on the upper side of said disk portion, the inner ends of said blades being associated. with said shaft ortion.

4c. An agltator for washing'machines comprising a metal shaft portion and a metal disk portion and hollow agitator blades of a phenolic condensation product detachably secured on the upper side of said disk portion, the inner ends of said blades being associated with said shaft portion.

5. Anagitator for washing machines comprising a metal shaft portion and a metal disk portion, hollow agitator blades of plastic material, the edges of said blades contacting with said disk portion and said shaft portion throughout their lengths, the inner ends of said blades being associated with said shaft portion, and means for releasably clamping said blades against said disk portion and shaft portion so as to form a watertight joint.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

JOHN ROCKE. 

